Your choice Warden
by Kaglen
Summary: Garrison has to make a decision


Lieutenant Craig Garrison paced across his office, deep in thought, he turned and retraced his steps, pausing only to stub out a half smoked cigarette in the ashtray on his desk. His action was slow and deliberate, simply taking up more time while he considered the conversation he'd had earlier that day with Major Johns.

_"It will mean a promotion for you, long overdue in my opinion Lieutenant." Garrison watched his superior officer closely, the man was about as trustworthy as a rattlesnake and a very bad liar. The two men did not like each other and the obvious pleasure on the Major's face was not due to the news of the promotion but there at the thought of breaking up the team known as 'Garrison's Gorillas ' and getting the very capable younger man out of the way._

The Lieutenant stopped pacing the floor and moved to look out of the window, chewing thoughtfully on the inside of his lower lip, he ran a hand through his hair and round the back of his neck, slowly exhaling the breath he wasn't aware he was holding.

"Captain." He said softly, testing the word, there would be a name plate on his desk or door, 'Captain Craig Garrison'. He shrugged, it didn't sound too bad, he'd get used to it and he had to think of a time 'after the war'. He had decided long ago that he was in the army for much longer than the duration and six months and had his career to consider. The job on offer was in London, not the safest place in the world but much safer than France, Belgium or Germany! No more midnight landings, or parachuting into Occupied Europe, no more living on the edge, no more instant decision making that could mean the difference between life and death, for himself, his team and for others.

The officer's blue/green gaze swept across the view of the gentle countryside surrounding the requisitioned mansion he and his team used as their base. The scene was restful and peaceful, he continued to look out for a few minutes allowing the serenity of the beautiful landscape to soothe his inner turmoil, with a soft sigh he made his final decision. Turning away quickly before he changed his mind, he left the room, he owed it to his men to tell them his news straightaway eighteen months working together counted for something and they had to know.

Garrison pushed open the door of the large room used by the four convicts, the army cots and makeshift washing line above the fireplace completely out of place amongst the fine paintings and delicate plaster-work within, but it was their home. The silence that greeted the Lieutenant was overpowering. Chief stood stock still at the window, just staring out, his rigid spine spoke volumes. Goniff and Casino each had half a deck of cards and with heads down, were absent mindedly shuffling them, only Actor turned towards the door. The officer caught the expression on the con-man's face and his half-hearted attempt to hide a personal file lying on the table, he crossed the room and flipped the file shut, knowing his own name was on the front before he saw it and only too aware of the four pairs of eyes watching him, he spoke quietly.

"You shouldn't have taken it."

"That's what we do - you know - take things!" There was no humour in Goniff's blue eyes or his tone of voice.

"We had to know." Actor tried to justify the theft.

"You gonna accept then?" Chief now challenged from across the room.

"Sure he is, we're nothing but common garbage-can hoods, remember, he said it himself." Casino's dark eyes were ink black with anger as he glared at the Lieutenant.

"Come on Warden. You ain't gonna leave us are yer, not after all we've been through." The Englishman 's accent always seemed stronger when he was upset or angry.

"Look fellas I need to…..." The Lieutenant's voice trailed away, for once he was uncertain how to continue.

His men stared at him, each face held a different emotion, Casino's pure anger, Goniff's disbelief, Actor's resignation but worst of all was the look of utter disgust on Chief's face also reflected in his dark brown eyes.

Goniff watched his commander, Garrison wasn't a bad sort when all said and done. He had to take the offer of promotion, who could blame him really? Nurse-maiding four cons wouldn't get him too far in military circles and he had his army career to think of after the war. 'Huh! 'after the war' would they survive to see it end, any of them? The Englishman's thoughts were interrupted by Actor's calm tone.

"You deserve the promotion Warden."

Casino jumped to his feet and threw the cards he'd been holding on to the table, from where they scattered noisily all over the floor. Turning on his Italian colleague he spat out his fury.

"Oh Yeah! You would stand up for him. He's dumping us, throwing us away, Ya wanna know why? 'Cos we're expendable, that's why, he said it remember!" He glared at the con-man but waved his arm towards the Lieutenant who remained completely motionless, but his firm stance told them all that he was ready to react to whatever might happen next. Goniff moved across the room and positioned himself between Casino and Actor although he knew his wiry frame was no match for either man should temper turn into action.

"Come on Mate, give the bloke a chance." He tried to soothe his irate friend, whose venomous gaze now targeted Garrison.

"A chance! What chance have we got?" The words exploded into the room. "I checked out 'expendable' in the dictionary – wanna know what else it means? The safe-cracker's dark eyes scanned his silent team mates, then came to rest again on their leader. "It means – non-essential; superfluous; dispensable; in other words, 'garbage' just like _you_ said on that very first mission, so no change there – _Buddy_!" Casino took a couple of steps towards the officer, his right hand already clenched into a fist but held at his side, keeping his own options open. The silence in the room was deafening, nobody moved. The Englishman looked nervously from man to man, he tried to diffuse the stand-off.

"Don't listen to him Warden. He doesn't mean anythin', he's upset – we all are."

Nothing changed, the atmosphere remained explosive as Casino's dark eyes locked with the rock steady gaze of the Lieutenant. In desperation the little blond thief decided to try to make light of it, maybe a joke, his own considered speciality, would ease the tension before all hell broke loose.

"Anyway, you can't leave, it would take us far too long to train someone else to our very high standards." There was absolutely no reaction to his remark, Goniff was at a loss, the stalemate between the two antagonists held. Much to his surprise the second-storeyman's dilemma was solved by Chief, whose quiet voice seemed to fill the whole room.

"Eighteen months count for nothin' huh Warden?"

A long minute passed, the only sound to invade the continuing angry silence was that of the small fire crackling in the grate. All eyes were now fixed on Garrison, who eventually chose to break the deadlock with Casino.

"It counts Chief." He replied quietly turning to look at the younger man. "It counts enough for me to turn down the Captaincy and to stay here."

Once again there was a long pause while each of the four convicts took in his words. Actor and Chief exchanged a brief smile and look of relief as Casino's anger slowly subsided, his body relaxed and his fist unclenched. Goniff was first to find his voice.

"You mean you're not leaving."

The Lieutenant shook his head slowly.

"You're staying here with us?"

Garrison nodded, well aware that the others were now watching intently and that the highly charged atmosphere of only seconds ago was rapidly dissipating.

"Blimey! You sure? I mean a Captain and all that, more money and much safer I'll bet." The slightly built Englishman shook his head.

The officer folded his arms across his chest, a smile tugged at his lips.

"You want me to change my mind Goniff?

"No, no, but _I _knew you'd stay anyway."

"You did?" The Lieutenant raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes." The pickpocket drew himself up to his full height and looked around the room at his audience of four, his eyes twinkled mischievously. He faced Garrison once again and grinned.

"Well it stands to reason, doesn't it - us Gorillas have got to stick together."


End file.
